Cooler



H. L. MILLER COOLER Filed March 7, 1930 Patented Aug. 4, 1931 PATENT OFFICE HARRY L. MILLER, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA COOLER Application filed March 7,

This invention relates to that class of coolers known as trickle coolers in that they comprise a vertical series of horizontally disposed tubes through which a cooling fluid 1s ficirculated and over which the liquid to be cooled is caused to flow slowly from an upper feed pipe or trough and is receive-d in a suitable trough or receptacle below the cooling tubes. In one kind of these coolers, which 16 has been extensively in use, cast bronze headers have been soldered or brazed to the cooling tubes near and inside of the returns at the ends thereof, thus making rigid connections between the headers and the tubes. There is, however, in the operation of these coolers, a considerable difference in the temperature between the tops and bottoms of the cooler sections, and of course there 15 3, considerable difference in the contraction and expansion between the tubes and the headers so that the solder sometimes breaks away, leaving joints which result in an unsanitary condition where the coolers are employed, for example, in cooling milk. The present invention has for its object to obviate this difficulty by mounting the cooling tubes in such a way that no headers inside the returns are required, and also preferably in such a way that loose joints, permitting an expansion and contraction, are'aiforded between the returns and their supports.

In the accompanying drawings Flg. 1 is a front perspective view showing the lower section of a cooler embodying the present in- K vention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View with certain parts broken away to show the connections between the returns on the tubes and a rack or vertical support for the returns. Fig. 3 is a detail view, with parts broken away, to show the connections between the standards and the tube supports. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail View showing a connection between a standard and a rack or tube support, and Fig. 5 is a detail view to show the connections between one of the supporting brackets and arack or tube support.

Referring to the drawings, 12 denotes standards to which are clamped brackets 13 having horizontal arms 13 extending beneath and attached to laterally extending 1930. Serial No. 434,022.

lugs 15 on supporting racks or bars 14. The cooling tubes 16 are connected at their ends by returns 17 provided with lugs 18 which may be formed integral with said returns or may be welded thereto. The supporting racks or bars 14;, which are outside of the returns 17, are provided with a series of inwardly extending lugs 19 on which the lugs 18 rest. The lugs 18 and 19 are bored for the reception of bolts 20, the registering holes in said lugs being preferably somewhat larger in diameter than said bolts, thus affording loose connections between the racks or bars 14 and the returns 17. Also the laterally extending lugs 15 on the racks or supports 14 and the arms 13 of the brackets 13 are preferably bored for the reception of bolts 21, the registering holes in said lugs and the arms of said brackets being also preferably somewhat larger in diameter than the said bolts 21, so as to afford loose connections between the said racks or bars and the said brackets. The nuts on the bolts 20 and 21 may be left somewhat loose to afford these loose connections.

It will therefore be apparent that, owing to the construction just described, the vertical supporting racks or bars 14 are loosely attached to the arms 13" of the brackets 13, and that the returns 17 are loosely attached to the said vertical supporting racks or bars 14.

It will thus be understood that the cooling tubes are sustained by racks or bars outside of the returns on said tubes, so that it will not be necessary to provide the tubes with rigid headers inside the returns; and the difliculty resulting from the broken joints hereinbefore referred to will therefore be avoided. Also this improved construction, in its preferred form, affords loose connections between the returns and the racks or bars by which the tubes are sustained, and also between the said racks or bars and the supporting brackets secured to the standards.

The cooling liquid in the series of tubes may be conducted thereto through a pipe 22 and may be discharged therefrom through a pipe 23, or vice versa.

To prevent the liquid being cooled from flowing outward through the returns the tubes 16 are, in this improved construction, preferably provided with circumferential flanges 2a which are preferably inclined, as shown, so as to have a tendency to direct the fluid being cooled inward. The fluid being cooled trickles downward over the tubes 16 into a trough or receptacle arranged be- "holes and low the cooling tubes and from which trough or receptacle it may be conducted to any desired point.

The invention is not to be understood as being limited to the use of bolts passing loosely through the connected parts, although these loose connections are preferred. Also the means hereinbefore described whereby the returns 17 are connected with the supporting racks or bars 14, eitherloosely or otherwise, may be varied, within the provskill, without departing ince of mechanical from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent them. l

2. In amtrlckle cooler, the combination with a vertical series of horizontally disposed cooling tubes connected at their ends by returnsprovided withoutwardly extending lugs, of vertical supporting racks or bars having inwardly extending lugs on which said outwardly extending lugs'rest, said out wardly and inwardly extending lugs being constructed with registering holes, bolts passing loosely through said lugs in said holes and serving to attachsaid returns loosely to said supporting racks or bars, and-means for sustaining said racks or bars.

3. In a trickle cooler, the combination with a vertical series of horizontally disposed cooling tubes connected at their ends by returns provided with outwardly extending lugs, said tubes being provided near their ends, inside of said returns, with circumferential flanges, of vertical supporting racks or bars having inwardly extending lugs on which said outwardly extending lugs rest, said outwardly and inwardly extending lugs being constructed with registering holes, bolts passing loosely through said lugs in .said holes and serving to attach said returns to said supporting racks or bars, and

means outside of said racks or bars, for supporting them.

4. In a trickle cooler, the combination with a vertical series of horizontally disposed cooling tubes connected at their ends by returns provided with outwardly extending lugs, of vertical supporting racks or bars having inwardly extending lugs on which said outwardly extending lugs rest, said outwardly and inwardly extending lugs being constructed :with registering holes, bolts pass ng through said lugs in said holes and serving to attach said return to said supporting racks or bars, said supporting racks or bars having also laterally extending lugs, supporting standards, outside of said racks or bars, brackets attached to said standards, and having arms on which said laterally extending lugs .rest, said laterally extending lugs and said arms having registering holes, and bolts fitting loosely insaid holes and serving to attach said supporting racks or bars to said brackets.

5 A trickle cooler comprising a vertically arranged seriesof horizontally disposed cooling tubes connected at their ends, in pairs, by returns, supportingracks or bars outside of said returns, means for loosely attachingsaid returns to said racks orbars so that each of said pairs of-tubes will be individually supported by said racks or bars, and standards, outside of said racks or bars, and by which standards said racks or bars are supported.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARRY L. MILLER. 

